With the creation of Relics, an instrumental cycle of seven related pieces, Max Davies has summoned echoes from the past. Those reverberations belong to figures such as Link Wray and Duane Eddy whose tone and twang provided a template for the basic tracks of rock n’ roll. But Relics is not an homage, nor is it nostalgic, for Max breathes new life into this sub-genre, transforming it into a multi-faceted work of contemporary art.

There are no lyrics, yet each piece is lyrical, a soundtrack to a film envisioned by the listener. Unlike so many of today’s productions, crammed with endless information, Relics provides plenty of room to listen. It can be regarded as a concerto for electric guitar, supported by a never intrusive rhythm bed. The themes and melodies are expressionistic, often evoking longing and loss, but just as often infused with delight and discovery.

The inherent space of the work can give a listener (this one anyway) a sense of cruising across open terrain, a desert let’s say, with the possibility of hallucinations and apparitions along the way. Although each piece has its own evocative title, there is a cohesion to Relics that is likely most apparent by experiencing the work in its entirety. The elements and nuances are such that there will be new revelations with each listening. With Relics, Max Davies has composed and recorded a work that seems of a time, but is, in fact, timeless. 

Junior Burke -Songwriter, novelist.
2/29/2024